THOUSANDS of pounds have been raised in memory of a Maldon businessman who helped change the face of aviation. 

Christopher Foyle died aged 79 after a battle with Leukaemia.

A Just Giving page has now been set up by his wife Catherine to raise money for Leukaemia research.

So far more than £11,000 has been raised, with £10,000 of the donation coming from the founder of easyJet, Stelios Haji-loannou.

Alongside the donation, Stelios said: “Forever grateful to Chris Foyle, who I knew when I began easyJet.

“Air Foyle provided AOC services and years later we started an aviation charity called Air League Monaco. He will be greatly missed.”

Mr Foyle was well known for completing the award-winning restoration of Beeleigh Abbey.

Mrs Foyle said: “He bought back his grandfather‘s house and farm at Maldon so that he could restore it and bring it back to how he remembered it was when he was a child coming to stay with his grandfather.

“Added to that he was able to buy back some of his grandfather’s library.

“He was a loving kind generous person, not just in business but at home and was much adored by everybody.”

The fundraiser was set up by Mrs Foyle for anyone who wishes to make a donation in memory of Christopher.

She added: “He was a multidimensional person with interests in so many things.

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“Not only did he have interest in these things, but he contributed to them in a real way.

“He started the air league of Monaco while we were living over there because he had to give up his chairmanship of the air league of Britain.

“They gave opportunities to young people who might not be able to afford it to have some flying lessons in case they want to move into aviation as a career.

“He also funded a scientist call Jeremy Holden to look for the Indonesian version of a yeti.

“He started an airline with just the smallest type of aircraft called an Aztec faced at Luton Airport and called his company Air Foyle.”

Mr Foyle’s funeral took place last week.

The Just Giving page can be found at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/wrcfoyle.